Bell Helicopter Textron Inc.

Paul M Wilson

Brady Garrett Atkins

Carlos Alexander Fenny

Charles Eric Covington

Marc Denninger

Jean-Sébastien Plante

Carl D Griffith

Geoffrey C Latham

Guifré Julio

Awais Raza

A rotorcraft autopilot system includes a series actuator connecting a cockpit control component to a swashplate of a rotorcraft, the series actuator to modify a control input from the cockpit control component to the swashplate through a downstream control component. The rotorcraft autopilot system also includes a differential friction system connected to the cockpit control component, the differential friction system to control the series actuator to automatically adjust a position of the cockpit control component during rotorcraft flight based, in part, on a flight mode of the rotorcraft.

Rotorcraft autopilot control

According to one embodiment, a trim actuator for a pilot input device includes a driven member and a driving member configured to receive mechanical energy from a power source. A magnetorheological (MR) fluid is disposed between the driving member and the driven member and configured to transmit a variable amount of mechanical energy from the driving member to the driven member. An output member configured to be coupled between the driven member and the pilot input device. A magnetic circuit configured to deliver a magnetic field towards the MR fluid. The magnetic circuit is configured to control movement of the pilot input device by varying the strength of the magnetic field delivered towards the first MR fluid.

Magnetorheological haptic trim actuator

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Argyle, TX, United States of America

Paul M Wilson